Wieze/Belgium, August, 24, 2012 – Belgium is famous for its two national treasures: beer and chocolate. And yet the worlds of these two great products have always remained separate. Until now, that is. Over the past year, Callebaut® has collaborated with the Federation of Belgian Brewers in a unique experiment: pairing desserts made with Belgian chocolate and Belgian beers. At the Belgian Beer Weekend the international public of foodies and beer lovers can taste the results and discover how beer and chocolate are truly “made for each other.”

Food professionals and chefs in the culinary field constantly have to keep up with new trends, since consumers are looking for new taste experiences and unusual combinations. Callebaut® has been the supplier of choice for finest Belgian chocolate couvertures for more than 100 years, serving chocolatiers, bakers and confectioners and chefs. It also supports these customers by seeking new sources of inspiration for them.

Specially for the Belgian Beer Weekend, Callebaut®’s pastry chef and technical advisor Alexandre Bourdeaux has collaborated with the Federation of Belgian Brewers to combine nine classic desserts with Belgian beers. The pairing of chocolate and beer is not new for Callebaut but is part of a continued effort to bring the best of Belgium forward. “Finding this perfect combination of beer and chocolate is a wonderful challenge,” Alexandre Bourdeaux explains. “They each have a strong character. Creating the right taste balance between them is a voyage of discovery that constantly opens up exciting new perspectives. Fortunately, fruit and nut pralinés form a useful bridge, matching the fruity and acidic notes to be found in beer.”

Combinations such as “Wheat beer and panna cotta of white chocolate and orange” or “Trappist and praliné with roasted pecan filling” have already been tried by a team of beer sommeliers and taste experts. “They were immediately convinced,” says Alexandre Bourdeaux.

For food professionals and foodies who want to discover the harmony between Belgian chocolate and beer for themselves, the Belgian Beer Weekend at Brussels Stock Exchange from 31 August to 2 September 2012 is an event not to be missed. Every three hours new beers will be served with accompanying chocolate desserts conceived by Alexandre Bourdeaux and prepared by J&M Catering (Aartselaar – Belgium). As a final touch the beers and desserts will be served together on a unique “taster pallet.”

For 100 years, Callebaut® has been making chocolate in the heart of Belgium and is still one of the rare chocolate makers to select, roast and grind cacao beans into its own secret and exclusive cocoa mass – the most important ingredient for chocolate couvertures. Callebaut® was established in 1850 in Belgium as a malt brewery and dairy company. It produced its first chocolate bars in 1911 and began production of chocolate couverture for Belgian chocolatiers in 1925. Callebaut® began exporting its products in 1950 and is part of Barry Callebaut, the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate.

Barry Callebaut:

With annual sales of about CHF 4.6 billion (EUR 3.6 billion/USD 5.0 billion) for fiscal year 2010/11, Zurich-based Barry Callebaut is the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate – from the cocoa bean to the finished chocolate product. Barry Callebaut is present in 27 countries, operates around 40 production facilities and employs a diverse and dedicated workforce of about 6,000 people. Barry Callebaut serves the entire food industry focusing on industrial food manufacturers, artisans and professional users of chocolate (such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs or bakers), the latter with its two global brands Callebaut® and Cacao Barry®. Barry Callebaut is the global leader in cocoa and chocolate innovations and provides a comprehensive range of services in the fields of product development, processing, training and marketing. Cost leadership is another important reason why global as well as local food manufacturers work together with Barry Callebaut. Through its broad range of sustainability initiatives and research activities, the company works with farmers, farmer organizations and other partners to help ensure future supplies of cocoa and improve farmer livelihoods.